how many months does a layer like white leghorn lay eggs?

[amiel2697]

they say only about 2 years, but i read articles and said there that there are hens that lay up to 7 years including maturing process.

 

[HEChicken]

Until they run out of eggs! Hens are born with all the eggs they will ever lay. If they are a high production breed, and lay like "egg laying machines" they might lay the majority of their eggs in the first two years. A heritage breed, who lays 3-4 eggs a week will lay much longer. When all is said and done though, they will both lay approximately the same number of eggs and once they've laid them all, they're done.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes. The commercial hens, of which many leghorns bought from hatcheries are indeed commercial strains, will lay best for only their first two years. They'll continue to lay, but at much reduced numbers. It is true that a more heritage bird will lay about the same number of eggs over their life time, but from a purely economic point of view, not admittedly from a "pet" point of view, a simple matter of math comes into play.

600 eggs laid by a leghorn in 2 years costs only 2 years worth of feed, bedding, electricity, etc.
600 eggs from a more tradition breed might take 4 years or even 5 years. That would be 4 or 5 years of feed, bedding, electricity, etc.

Easy to understand, really. I keep both kinds of birds for different reasons.